Just joined the US Air Force! - Page 2

SnoEclipse · 06-16-2009

If you can, be a Loadmaster. You'll be able to see the whole world, literally from the South Pole to the North Pole and every place in between.

dumb_ricer · 06-16-2009

I am trying to get a guaranteed spot in EOD. (bomb squad)

Believe me, I'm not an idiot, I won't be signing my actual enlistment contract unless I am happy with what is written on it. I am still in "Delayed Enlistment" and could back out at any time if I wanted to.

SnoEclipse · 06-16-2009

Not a lot of reserve/nat guard billets for EOD.

There are piles of Loadmaster billets though. I have a friend who spent 18 years active and has been in the Reserves at Saint Paul for the last 10. He's travelling just as much now as he did when he was 'full time'.

He might retire in a few years but his afsc is in stop loss (just like everyone else) so even at 45 yo it looks like he will be able to stay in as long as he wants to.

dumb_ricer · 06-16-2009

I'm going Active Duty.

Loadmaster is too damn boring/not technical enough for my liking anyways. I'll be doing something electrical or trying to defuse bombs and not die.

Tizzle · 06-17-2009

If you want technical, be a Nuclear weapons tech.

**Halon** · 06-18-2009

If you go nuclear in the military, you are going to have plenty of job opportunities waiting for you in the civilian world, all over the globe, when you get out. Minnesota might be tougher though, as there really isn't a huge nuclear presence here other then my company and 2 plants on the outskirts of the cities.

SnoEclipse · 06-18-2009

I'm not talking about reserve/NG for now, it's for when you eventually get out.

Tizzle · 06-18-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halon

If you go nuclear in the military, you are going to have plenty of job opportunities waiting for you in the civilian world, all over the globe, when you get out. Minnesota might be tougher though, as there really isn't a huge nuclear presence here other then my company and 2 plants on the outskirts of the cities.

So not true. This is what I do now, and there is not as many jobs out there that have somethig to do with this. Yes there are some, pay is 6 figures and hard as hell to get, but not a lot.

**Halon** · 06-18-2009

Explain.

Where do you work and what do you do? How many plants have you been to?

The 20 or so I've been to, there are former military nukes all over the place, and many tell me they were actually recruited by the company right out of the military.

Not to mention our place is pretty much always hiring field service personnel.

I feel lucky to be a part of the industry, as it's one of the few still doing quite well even in this economy.

dumb_ricer · 06-19-2009

While I plan on getting a college degree in physics(or Biophysics), I really don't want to do any of the Nuclear programs.

EOD's have a pretty easy time getting a job when they get out, starting at 65-80k a year it seems. If the AF won't give me EOD, I am probably going to talk to the Army and see if they can get me a guaranteed slot for it. The more I research it, the more it is something I really want to do, as it actually interests the hell out of me. I'm going to talk to my AF recruiter on Monday to see what he says.

**Halon** · 06-19-2009

EOD would definately be interesting. I'd bet that all the branches have it.

I only talked to a Marine recruiter. I wish I would have gone to recruiters of all 4 branches before making a decision. Might not hurt to just go talk with someone from each branch before making a decision.

What I can tell you is the AF lives like kings compared to what we had in the Marines. But we had a cooler uniform

Tizzle · 06-19-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halon

Explain.

Where do you work and what do you do? How many plants have you been to?

The 20 or so I've been to, there are former military nukes all over the place, and many tell me they were actually recruited by the company right out of the military.

Not to mention our place is pretty much always hiring field service personnel.

I feel lucky to be a part of the industry, as it's one of the few still doing quite well even in this economy.

I understand that you can get a job outside the military doing something like this, but not a ton of jobs are open.

dumb_ricer · 06-19-2009

Nuclear jobs are more than likely going to become more and more popular in the next decade or two, unless they can get fusion working as a power source.(They are currently constructing/just finishing up one that uses an uber powerful laser)

I am almost dead set on Explosive Ordnance now. If I was in 3x better shape, I would be doing Pararescue no questions asked, but the fitness levels of those guys are ridiculous!

I have talked to Marine, Navy, and AF recruiters already. The Navy scares me, as I think I would want to commit suicide if I got stuck on a boat for over a year (doesn't appeal to me AT ALL), the Marines are way too Military for my easy going ass, the Air Force is starting to seem almost too easy, and they never have any weapons training after basic, which would suck.(and the odds of them giving me the job I want seem to get slimmer and slimmer) I am starting to lean towards ARMY, as they can give me the job I want, and the job itself does a good job of weeding out all the morons (extremely tough schooling). My initial problem with the ARMY was that it seemed like only people with an IQ of like 30 joined, now I am a bit less ignorant.

GSXMatt · 06-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumb_ricer

Nuclear jobs are more than likely going to become more and more popular in the next decade or two, unless they can get fusion working as a power source.(They are currently constructing/just finishing up one that uses an uber powerful laser)

I am almost dead set on Explosive Ordnance now. If I was in 3x better shape, I would be doing Pararescue no questions asked, but the fitness levels of those guys are ridiculous!

I have talked to Marine, Navy, and AF recruiters already. The Navy scares me, as I think I would want to commit suicide if I got stuck on a boat for over a year (doesn't appeal to me AT ALL), the Marines are way too Military for my easy going ass, the Air Force is starting to seem almost too easy, and they never have any weapons training after basic, which would suck.(and the odds of them giving me the job I want seem to get slimmer and slimmer) I am starting to lean towards ARMY, as they can give me the job I want, and the job itself does a good job of weeding out all the morons (extremely tough schooling). My initial problem with the ARMY was that it seemed like only people with an IQ of like 30 joined, now I am a bit less ignorant.

Depends on the career field for weapons training, I am a radio DJ and have trained on M16, M4, M9 and M24.

**goodhart** · 06-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumb_ricer

My initial problem with the ARMY was that it seemed like only people with an IQ of like 30 joined, now I am a bit less ignorant.

Oh don't be fooled, there are still plenty of morons in the Army. Active Duty has a LOT bigger percentage of them compared to NG and Reserve units, it's like the only people that go active army are people that are too stupid to get a real job or really gung ho people, neither of which have any common sense or real life experiences outside of the military.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSXMatt

Depends on the career field for weapons training, I am a radio DJ and have trained on M16, M4, M9 and M24.

Wow, a Radio DJ qualified on a sniper rifle? thats crazy, although I was a mechanic and was qualified on the M107 in Iraq.

SnoEclipse · 06-21-2009

Don't confuse IQ with moronic tendancies. I know a lot of IQ 120+ Morons. And a lot of IQ 100 people with more common sense and life skills than you'd find in a lot of people.

But point taken.

**goodhart** · 06-21-2009

^^ True, that was something I ran into with a lot of the Commo guys in the army, really book smart but stupiud as fuck common sense wise.